Ultra Q
is the first installment of the Ultra Series, made in the tradition of Toho's many tokusatsu sci-fi/horror films. Produced in black and white by Tokyo Broadcasting System/Tsuburaya Productions, it was broadcast on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) from January 2 to July 3, 1966 (the final episode was preempted until December 14, 1967), with a total of 28 episodes. This series was followed two weeks later by the more popular Ultraman, the second Ultra series. Ultra Q can be described as a half-hour Toho kaiju series. Executive Producer Eiji Tsuburaya intended this series to be more like the American television series and , featuring all kinds of strange and unusual stories. After a survey, the TBS network convinced Tsuburaya Productions to add more giant monsters, as children were intensely interested in them, since Godzilla (Gojira) and Gamera were all the rage at the time (the first " " took off after Ultra Q became a enormous hit).Ragone, August (2007, 2014) Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 Much like the , the series features continuing characters who investigate strange supernatural phenomena, including giant monsters, aliens, ghosts, and various other threats. The original planned title of this project was Unbalance, and was subsequently rechristened Ultra Q (the English word, "Ultra" had become popular because of the Gold Medal winning Japanese gymnast during the in Tokyo, who used a technique called "Ultra C", which caused the word to becoming a catch phrase.) The series began production in 1964, with the premiere set for January 1966. At the time, this was the most expensive television series ever produced in Japan. The "Q" stands for "Question" and also tied with another hit TBS series, , an animated series based on the manga by .Ragone, August (2007, 2014) Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 Characters Main *Jun Manjome *Yuriko Edogawa *Ippei Togawa *Professor Ichinotani *News Desk Editor, Seki *Assistant Honda *Reporter Soma *Photographer Sugimoto Monsters & Aliens *Gomess (1) *Litra (1) *Goro (2) *Namegon (3) *Juran (4) *Peguila (5, 14) *Gameron (6) *Kai Dragon (6) *Mistress Otohime (6) *Gorgos (7) *Mongular (8) *Tarantula (9) *M1 (10) *Balloonga (11) *Largeus (12) *Garamon (13, 16) *Kanegon (15) *Cicada Human (16) *The 1/8 Humans (17) *Pagos (18) *Kemur Man (19) *Ragon (Male, female and baby; 20) *Bostang (21) *Alien Ruperts "Zemi" (21) *Alien Keel (21; mentioned but does not appear) *The Giant (22) *Butterfly Morpho (22) *Sudar (23) *Gorga (24) *Lily (25) *Peter (26) *Todora (27) *The Trans-Dimension Train (28) Episodes # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Movies # Cast * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : * : Suit actors * , : * , , , : * : * , , , : * : * , : English Dub In 1967, ''Ultra Q was licensed from Tsuburaya and TBS by CBS Films, producers of . It was a package deal that not only included Ultra Q, but also Ultraman. For the task of dubbing, CBS hired Film House in Toronto, Canada, what is now DeLuxe Toronto. Tsuburaya provided translated scripts, plus English language opening and closing credits, and a custom, swirling title-card. The series itself was dubbed in its 28 episode entirety. At some point, CBS Films backed out of licensing the series, and it was picked up, along with Ultraman, by United Artists Television, producers of . Subsequently, United Artists Television hired Titra Studios to dub Ultraman. Ultraman was syndicated, however, Ultra Q was not, due to being in black-and-white at a time when most television was switching to color. After Ultraman finished its run in syndication, audio and film masters, and other materials, of both series were stored in the MGM vaults (stumbled upon by the author of Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, August Ragone, while researching materials concerning Ultra Q).Ragone, August (2007, 2014) Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 Before Ragone uncovered this information, it was commonly believed, even by Tsuburaya Productions, that only one episode, Episode 3 ("Gift From Outer Space"), was dubbed into English as a pilot.Ragone, August (2007, 2014) Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 Over the last decade, other episodes have been discovered in the hands of private US collectors on the 16mm film format. Legacy In the years following the show's original run, a live action film called Ultra Q The Movie: Legend of the Stars was released in 1990. As well, a radio program featuring the voices of the three original stars of the show (playing their classic characters) called The Ultra Q Club aired on Japanese radio from 2003-2004. Also in 2004, a new series called Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy was produced while another series called Neo Ultra Q began airing in early 2013. The original concept of the show (when it was going to be called Unbalance) was ultimately used for a 13-episode horror anthology series entitled that was produced by Tsuburaya Productions in 1973.Ragone, August (2007, 2014) Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters, Chronicle Books, ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 Various Ultra Q monsters were reused or redressed for various monsters in Ultraman. The Kemuroid and Ragon (now giant sized) returned, while the Garamon suit was cannibalized into Pygmon. Other suits were altered to play other monsters such as, Peguila being altered into Chandrah, Kemuroid being altered into Alien Zetton, Pagos being altered into Neronga (and later Magular and Gabora), while the head of the Cicadanoid was altered into the Alien Baltan, and Peter was transformed into Gesura. Home media Shout! Factory released the complete series of Ultra Q on DVD on August 13, 2013.http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Urutora-Q-The-Complete-Series/18445 References Bibliography * Ragone, August (2007, 2014) [http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/eiji-tsuburaya-master-of-monsters-paperback.html/ Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters] San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9 *The Q-Files, Complete Ultra Q Episode Guide by Jim Cirronella & Kevin Grays, Originally published in KAIJU-FAN Issue # 4 November 1996 http://www.historyvortex.org/QFiles.html. *''Great Encyclopedia of Ultra Monsters'' (orig.: ウルトラ怪獣大全集), Domdom (1995), ISBN 978-4-09-101411-5 *''So Crazy Japanese Toys!, by Jimbo Matison, Chronicle Books (2003), ISBN 978-0-8118-3529-9 *''The Ultra Bizarre World of Ultra Q (Parts 1-3) by Mike Bianco. Originally published in issues #62-64. May 2003-December 2003. External links *'' '' at Wikipedia *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058851/ Ultra Q] at the